Recently, AppleInsider has been provided with a bit more clarity on Apple's pre-release build cycles for Snow Leopard in addition to being tipped off to several Pro application updates currently undergoing beta tests.

Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard

According to people familiar with the matter, Apple's roadmap for the final stretch of Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard development currently calls for the release of three 'key' builds through the company's high-membership Apple Developer Connection.

Each of the builds will carry a significance in its own right, the first of which is scheduled to appear between now and the start of WWDC 2009 during the second week of June. This build will reportedly include "big updates" to system components and functionality.

The next build is said to arrive alongside the start of WWDC on June 8th. It's expected to be the first build of the next-gen OS that will be "feature complete," bundling significant changes to the Mac OS X interface, assuming those changes are not approved for inclusion in the aforementioned build.

A third and final build is tentatively scheduled to make its way to developers in the weeks between WWDC and the software's formal release. This build is expected to serve as a lead-in to the final candidate stage that precedes the declaration of a Gold Master build suited for duplication on optical media.

People familiar with the matter have previously estimate that it will take Apple upwards of two-months from the time it shows off a feature complete Snow Leopard at WWDC to deliver the software to market, suggesting a release date around August.

Apple may also choose to seed more marginal builds intermittently between these key builds if it runs into unexpected issues and requires additional feedback from developers.

Mac OS X 10.5.7 Juno

Meanwhile, Mac OS X 10.5.7 remains on track for a release sometime during the month of April. The release, code-named Juno, will be the seventh maintenance and security update to Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard since its release in October 2007. It will also be one of the last updates to Leopard with Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard rapidly approaching.

Developers have been receiving new builds of Juno on a weekly basis, usually on Thursday or Friday evenings. The latest, which arrived this weekend, was labeled Mac OS X 10.5.7 build 9J39. It bundled five new fixes, bringing the total number of documented code corrections expected in the release to 99.

Amongst the areas addressed in build 9J39 were issues with iChat encryption, Mail signatures, USB drivers, and System Profiler's ability to properly show information on Mini DisplayPort adapters.

Pro App updates

Also under evaluation by developers and a select group of creative professionals are several Pro Application updates that are nearing a public release. Among them is a new version of Apple's ProRes Codec for its high-definition lossy video compression format and a significant update to the company's professional color grading software application labeled Color 1.5.

Furthermore, Apple is testing significant but incremental updates to Final Cut Server and Motion 4, both of which should see a release in the near term. Video production houses that uses these applications alongside Xsan 2.x may also be interested in learning that a new point release of cluster file system software code-named "Carrera" is also due for release shortly. Xsan was last updated to version 2.1 in June of 2008.

For example, if I would buy a new Mac in the beginning of April. Would I have any chance of a free upgrade to SL?

Best,

Daniel

Inte troligt. :/

Usually Apple gives a 10-15 day grace period as far as I know. So if you just bought a new computer and then a new version of OS X comes out within the next two weeks you can upgrade for a nominal fee. For returns, you get a little longer I think, but if the package is opened you have to pay a restocking fee.

Jimzip

"There's no time like the present, and the only present you'll never get, is time." - Me

"Video production houses that uses these applications alongside Xsan 2.x may also be interested in learning that a new point release of cluster file system software code-named "Carrera" is also due for release shortly."

The beta was sent out a month ago, and from what I've seen this could be the most significant update of Logic yet. With the i7/i5 iMacs and i7 mobiles chips coming real soon there is absolutely no need for DSP Pro Tools HD anymore.

From what I've seen from the beta, Logic 9 has superior audio editing features compared to Pro Tools and the new virtual instruments and plug-ins are just breathtaking.

In fact I think 3rd party plug-in manufactures such as IK Multimedia, Waves, Synthogy, Native Instruments etc. are going to s*** themselves when they see Logic 9, because the integrated effects, virtual instruments (new sample library and sampler) are actually better than the ones you have to pay for.

The beta was sent out a month ago, and from what I've seen this could be the most significant update of Logic yet. With the i7/i5 iMacs and i7 mobiles chips coming real soon there is absolutely no need for DSP Pro Tools HD anymore.

From what I've seen from the beta, Logic 9 has superior audio editing features compared to Pro Tools and the new virtual instruments and plug-ins are just breathtaking.

In fact I think 3rd party plug-in manufactures such as IK Multimedia, Waves, Synthogy, Native Instruments etc. are going to s*** themselves when they see Logic 9, because the integrated effects, virtual instruments (new sample library and sampler) are actually better than the ones you have to pay for.

I'd agree. Logic 9 "feels" like it should be really close. I'm hearing whispers of much improved pitch shifting tools. I'm sure we're going to get improved plugins as well. The amp simulation in Garageband 09 are damn good from what I hear from those zany guitar guys. I imagine that Guitar Amp Pro will take a good jump forward in sound quality.

Logic Studio was all about getting the new UI of LP8 out and tested and integrating Mainstage and STP. Now that the tough part is over I expect Logic Pro 9 to really shine.

He's a mod so he has a few extra vBulletin privileges. That doesn't mean he should stop posting or should start acting like Digital Jesus.- SolipsismX

Something I've not always understood in point updates: are the issues being addressed (or those that remain known issues) in particular builds meant to be fixes to bugs that have always existed in previous point updates or new ones that have been introduced with a recent build?

So when AppleInsider tells us that something has been addressed with regard to mail signatures, does that mean that we on 10.5.6 will see some fix to mail signatures, or just that something went wrong with mail signatures on a previous build and it is now fixed?

10.5.6 still didn't bring a fix to the issue I told Apple about 4 months ago. When you download a Mac application, if you drag it to your desktop the icon never forms correctly. It's quite annoying.

If by cat you mean Snow Leopard and not the improvements to Leopard with 10.5.7, I can definiely say that the speed in benchmarking comparisons on the same hardware is about 10-12% faster. However, there are still so many niggling issues like the real world speed is actually reduced at this point.

Dick Applebaum on whether the iPad is a personal computer: "BTW, I am posting this from my iPad pc while sitting on the throne... personal enough for you?"

If by cat you mean Snow Leopard and not the improvements to Leopard with 10.5.7, I can definiely say that the speed in benchmarking comparisons on the same hardware is about 10-12% faster. However, there are still so many niggling issues like the real world speed is actually reduced at this point.

Maybe the issue is you. There's something that isn't vibing with you. Have you tried Lightroom?

I use Aperture pretty much on a daily basis, It has these nagging bugs like the keyboard shortcuts stop working, video corruption for time to time, preview not completing etc.. other small things here and there, sometimes but rarely it just crashes.

Lightroom's UI is yuck but Lightroom has more tools and features. Current version of Aperture needs to be fixed and then a new bells and whistles, if Apple want to be taken seriously by pro photog's. The plugin feature was great, but they seem to be running out of innovation and momentum.

Euphonix has worked closely with the worlds leading software developers like Apple, Steinberg, MOTU and others to deeply integrate native EuCon support into their audio and video applications to provide high-resolution, high-speed control over almost all software functions for an unmatched editing and mixing experience. MC Transport also supports the HUI and Mackie Control protocols for even greater flexibility, at a faster speed and higher resolution than any other controllers. MC Transport is expected to be available at authorized Euphonix retailers in June 2009 at an estimated street price of $399.99.

He's a mod so he has a few extra vBulletin privileges. That doesn't mean he should stop posting or should start acting like Digital Jesus.- SolipsismX

Also under evaluation by developers and a select group of creative professionals are several Pro Application updates that are nearing a public release. Among them is a new version of Apple's ProRes Codec for its high-definition lossy video compression format and a significant update to the company's professional color grading software application labeled Color 1.5.

"Significant update" to Color, but a .5 version? Hmmm. I'm not getting my hopes up. Still, even a bug fix to Final Cut Studio would be worth paying full price for.

This Snow Leopard version sounds like a huge re-write and it also looks like this re-write influenced almost all Apple applications - especially the Pro app line.

The release of Snow Leopard and Windows 7 will be a defining moment in the history of both Apple and MS. I am holding fingers for Apple as I prefer Mac OS X much more. It's not the functionality alone, it's the calm feeling you have when you use OS X. Furthermore, OS X has a sense of character that is very abscent from Windows. Windows is like... cold... lifeless. Yeah sure, windows is functional - it works ok, but... it does it without any grace. I almost never get upset when I use OS X, something I cannot say about windows.

This Snow Leopard version sounds like a huge re-write and it also looks like this re-write influenced almost all Apple applications - especially the Pro app line.

The release of Snow Leopard and Windows 7 will be a defining moment in the history of both Apple and MS. I am holding fingers for Apple as I prefer Mac OS X much more. It's not the functionality alone, it's the calm feeling you have when you use OS X. Furthermore, OS X has a sense of character that is very abscent from Windows. Windows is like... cold... lifeless. Yeah sure, windows is functional - it works ok, but... it does it without any grace. I almost never get upset when I use OS X, something I cannot say about windows.

Well, I can't wait for SL!
*crossing fingers*

It may be even more defining for Apple. Snow Leopard represents the ascension of Cocoa to the throne and a changing of the guard.

Legacy PPC and Carbon have been deposed and future versions of OS X will be kept nimble and light (as possible) paving the way for more rapid development and portable device domination.

He's a mod so he has a few extra vBulletin privileges. That doesn't mean he should stop posting or should start acting like Digital Jesus.- SolipsismX

Anyone running, or hear of anyone running this cat - What is the speed like? No made up stuff please. Genuine, real world use scenarios benefits in speed?

Still a little early to test "CORE" system speed as error checks are everywhere in the code. This causes latency when regular release code would not have these. Memory usage is also slightly higher because of this error capturing as well, so don't read much into reports it's becoming "windows" in terms of RAM usage.

This Snow Leopard version sounds like a huge re-write and it also looks like this re-write influenced almost all Apple applications - especially the Pro app line.

The release of Snow Leopard and Windows 7 will be a defining moment in the history of both Apple and MS. I am holding fingers for Apple as I prefer Mac OS X much more. It's not the functionality alone, it's the calm feeling you have when you use OS X. Furthermore, OS X has a sense of character that is very abscent from Windows. Windows is like... cold... lifeless. Yeah sure, windows is functional - it works ok, but... it does it without any grace. I almost never get upset when I use OS X, something I cannot say about windows.

Well, I can't wait for SL!
*crossing fingers*

Windows 7 is to be the defining moment in MS history? Only to tell if they will be viable in the future. If 7 release turns out to be another vista then your gonna see major shifts and changes at MS including the removal of several on top. Shareholders are NOT HAPPY with recent decisions.

Imagine the Applications division outselling (profit) the OS division 2 years in a row. Imagine Office for Mac (04+08) come close to Vista OTC sales? What does that really mean to Win7 and future of MS.

Not saying the blue giant will fall. XP still outranks Vista after 2 years, however 2004 showed XP outpacing Win2K/ME/98 use (same 2 year mark).

MS needs 7 to work in lighter forms and with less hardware requirements. We also need 7 to come in ONE form in a similar fashion to OS X where certain aspects of the system are enabled by the user if they want/need them (like aero) but based more on hardware inspection done at install (snow leopard).

7 will still be severely limited due to NTFS file system being too outdated to compete with today's modern requirements. MS can do better, even if it means licensing "other" formats for it's base file system. It's toooooo DOS any way you look at it. It's failure rate lately is getting to be a bit much.

Windows 7 is to be the defining moment in MS history? Only to tell if they will be viable in the future. If 7 release turns out to be another vista then your gonna see major shifts and changes at MS including the removal of several on top. Shareholders are NOT HAPPY with recent decisions.

Imagine the Applications division outselling (profit) the OS division 2 years in a row. Imagine Office for Mac (04+08) come close to Vista OTC sales? What does that really mean to Win7 and future of MS.

Not saying the blue giant will fall. XP still outranks Vista after 2 years, however 2004 showed XP outpacing Win2K/ME/98 use (same 2 year mark).

MS needs 7 to work in lighter forms and with less hardware requirements. We also need 7 to come in ONE form in a similar fashion to OS X where certain aspects of the system are enabled by the user if they want/need them (like aero) but based more on hardware inspection done at install (snow leopard).

7 will still be severely limited due to NTFS file system being too outdated to compete with today's modern requirements. MS can do better, even if it means licensing "other" formats for it's base file system. It's toooooo DOS any way you look at it. It's failure rate lately is getting to be a bit much.

7 won't be another Vista in terms of problems. 7 is Vista refined. It's like a new release of OS X in that regard, but not even as drastic.

Most of the problems Vista had, to be honest, was with third party drivers, programs not being ready, etc. Most of that is now water under the bridge.

7 will fix some of the GUI problems, and possibly make the horrible security unfriendliness better.

PCs are much more powerful now, so the running problems won't be seen, and it can be run on notebooks, though it's not as fast as XP there.

It's already faring much better than Vista, even though it's still in beta.

I've tried the Windows 7 Beta, and I believe it has overcome most of the obstacles that made people so reluctant to upgrade from XP to Vista. I truly believe that when Windows 7 is released, it will be better received than Vista. Not just because it will be better than Vista, but because many Windows users that hated Vista--especially businesses--have been dying to upgrade from XP for a while. When 7 is released, XP will finally go the way of the dinosaur. XP has had a good run, but it's long past time for it to retire.

That said, I doubt Apple has much to worry about. The improvements in Windows 7 barely bring the OS up to the same level as Leopard, in my opinion. The innovative features of Snow Leopard (especially the improved use of multiple cores) should really make it stand out in spite of the good reception of Windows 7. Microsoft will continue to play catch-up as Apple continues to innovate.

Still a little early to test "CORE" system speed as error checks are everywhere in the code. This causes latency when regular release code would not have these. Memory usage is also slightly higher because of this error capturing as well, so don't read much into reports it's becoming "windows" in terms of RAM usage.

I've tried the Windows 7 Beta, and I believe it has overcome most of the obstacles that made people so reluctant to upgrade from XP to Vista. I truly believe that when Windows 7 is released, it will be better received than Vista. Not just because it will be better than Vista, but because many Windows users that hated Vista--especially businesses--have been dying to upgrade from XP for a while. When 7 is released, XP will finally go the way of the dinosaur. XP has had a good run, but it's long past time for it to retire.

That said, I doubt Apple has much to worry about. The improvements in Windows 7 barely bring the OS up to the same level as Leopard, in my opinion. The innovative features of Snow Leopard (especially the improved use of multiple cores) should really make it stand out in spite of the good reception of Windows 7. Microsoft will continue to play catch-up as Apple continues to innovate.

Unfortunately, Apple's position is such that 7 doesn't HAVE to bring much more to the table. All it needs to do well is to work ok. It was Vista's faults, and perceived faults that have been driving people to the Mac. It was also MS's long climb to get it out the door that helped before that.

Most people really don't want to move from what they're comfortable with. Windows works well enough for most people, or they wouldn't be still using it.

If changing didn't involve buying new hardware, it might be different. Most people would likely be willing to try something for $130 than for $1,300. When that involves buying new software as well...